RMH
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izzy's playlists!
Stranger Things
#extradirty
Game of Thrones Daily
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official daine visual archive
Mike Driver
JVL
The Stonewall Inn
Product Placement
$LAYYYTER
EXPECTATIONS
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taylor price
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@nicolekaps
random sites that are extremely helpful
animation screencaps
body visualizer
create infographics
desktop goose
help with writers block
boil the frog
professions based on your personality
best dictionary ever
fighters block
writing tool
slides go
slides carnival
online library
free movies and tv shows
free movies and tv shows #2
worldbuilding website
make music online
human pose reference
Tulle Capes
Alice Corsets on Etsy
Let’s say you wanted to glue fabric to wood, but what do you use? What about glass to paper? This to That lets you choose two things you want to glue and lists what types of glue is best. (Because people have a need to glue things to other things!)
This is an incredibly awesome site. Go check it out!
Whhhhaaaaaattt!???
EVERYONE NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS
This is one of the first websites I was told about in props. It also has information about the toxicity, adhere time, price, and other stuff about the glues.
Useful for cosplayers and DIY!
I feel personally attacked.
[replacement for first link, which wasn’t working]
I went through the whole thing just to see what it said for each combination.
omg they have GLUE NEWS THIS IS SO FUCKING CUTE
I NEEDED THIS SO BAD LAST YEAR
[images: screenshots of ThisToThat.com, suggesting multiple adhesives best for gluing This (wood in image 1, ceramic in images 2 and 3) to That (in order: fabric, ceramic, leather). each suggestion has a brief explanatory note and a link to further details.]
Narrative Anchors: How to hold your readers’ attention, wherever you take them.
One of my old fiction professors, Tom, used to always grab coffee with us students whenever our story had been workshopped.
We’d meet at the downtown coffee shop, where we fought the flocks of students for a table, pulled out a couple wrinkled copies of the story, and discussed feedback over bland coffee.
It was during one of these discussions that Tom pointed out something I’d stumbled into doing well. (He’s very good at that.)
“I think this is great, Mike,” he said, tapping my story on the table. “From the opening line, the question is whether these two will sleep together, and that grounds us. If my attention ever wavers, I can always fall back on, ‘Oh, well have they slept together yet? No, not yet? Okay, cool. I still know where we are, then, and where we’re headed.’ That makes the story easy to follow.”
This wasn’t, admittedly, a major focus of our conversation. We moved on to discuss more important things (like the story’s key flaws), but somehow that comment stuck with me over the years.
And now, looking back, I realize it was the first time I started thinking about something I’d eventually call “narrative anchors.”
What’s a narrative anchor?
It’s something I made up. But trust me, it’s helpful.
In short, I consider narrative anchors to be the craft elements you include in a story to ground your reader. On the one hand, they can help you craft a story that rings with simple, crystal clarity, and on the other hand, they can empower you to challenge readers with fresh, creative storytelling, without ever losing them at sea.
I put narrative anchors into three categories:
Plot Anchors
Character Anchors
Style Anchors
Plot Anchors
Plot anchors are a clearly defined situation, goal, or destination for a story. Tom (above) pointed out a situational plot anchor in my story, but you’ll find plot anchors everywhere. For example, in Avatar: The Last Airbender, Aang needs to master the four elements and defeat Fire Lord Ozai. We know from the beginning that defeating Ozai is the end-goal, so we feel grounded at every stage of the story, knowing where we’re going.
Moby-Dick, by Herman Melville, is another great example. Ahab is hellbent on hunting down the White Whale, and we never lose sight of that goal, even as the narrative stretches across hundreds of pages.
That’s the point of a plot anchor: to give your reader a clear direction, so they always know where they’re going.
Character Anchors
These anchors are the clear motivations and arcs you give your characters. Disney does this well in their musicals, always using an “I want song” (more about those here) to clearly declare what their main characters want: Mulan wants to express her true self, Hercules wants to find where he belongs, and so on. The rest of the story then circles around that character’s pursuit of their “want.”
When readers have a strong understanding of your character’s motivation and journey, they have a much easier time following the story as a whole.
Style Anchors
Style anchors are my handy little catch-all for every other craft choice you make to bring clarity and simplicity to your work. Style anchors can include: short chapters or paragraphs; simple and accessible language; straightforward writing forms; clarity of description; engagement with the five senses; using a smaller cast of characters; sticking to a single POV; and so on.
Cool. So when (and how) do I use these narrative anchors?
Tip 1: Don’t start with anchors. Start with the story. Take your idea, begin developing the characters and plot, and start writing.
Tip 2: As you write and revise, start thinking about anchors. Ask yourself what kinds of anchors you already have in place, what others may be helpful to add, and whether or not you’re doing enough to ground your readers in the story.
Tip 3: Consider your audience. Readers of popular fiction will want to be reasonably grounded, so you should try to always use at least a few anchors. But if your audience likes super artsy, experimental fiction, you may be able to get away with fewer tethers.
Tip 4: That being said, don’t be afraid to challenge your readers, whoever they are. If you want to get creative, go for it. If you want to experiment with form, language, plot, character arcs, or whatever, PLEASE do!
Tip 5: But when you challenge readers one way, try to compensate by grounding them in other ways. For example, maybe your story lacks a clear plot anchor, but you include a character with a clear arc and motivation. Or maybe your story is incredibly challenging on a stylistic level, but you give readers a clear character motive and plot (this was my experience reading Moby-Dick).
Tip 6: If big anchors don’t fit, consider smaller ones. For example, if your story lacks a BIG plot anchor like defeating Fire Lord Ozai, maybe use smaller plot anchors to drive individual sections of the book. Or maybe instead of a BIG declaration of your character’s motive at the beginning, include little anchors for your narrator that act like breadcrumbs for their motives and development.
Tip 7: Mix and match anchors as necessary, because there is no magic formula.
Long story short?
Write the story you want to write — then use narrative anchors to keep your readers reading, wherever your story takes them.
Tom may not have said that all in so many words, but if I bought him a coffee, I bet he’d agree.
Good luck, everybody, and good writing!
— — —
Everyone has stories worth telling. If you’re looking for writing advice or tips on crafting theme, meaning, and character-driven plots, check out the rest of my blog.
Thought it might be helpful to share how I balance different narrative anchors in my own work. So here we go!
Like I wrote above, you should always start with the story you want to write, and then use narratives anchors to support that story. So for me, more often than not, my stories don’t have any big, story-long plot anchors (unless it’s a short story). In other words, I rarely have a Fire Lord Ozai or a White Whale to ground my readers from beginning to end.
And that’s because my favorites plots are those that unfold, blossom, and evolve in unexpected ways. It’s why I love Stephen King novels and Miyazaki movies. (A couple of pantsers, if there ever were any.)
So instead of using a single, big plot anchor, I use smaller ones – establishing section-specifc plot goals so that there’s always at least some direction and grounding.
Next, I plant initial character anchors to give my readers a clear understanding of what’s motivating my narrator and supporting cast.
Lastly, as a style anchor, I tend to ground my readers in the moment, with clear, vivid descriptions of the setting, characters, and character actions (without bogging down the prose, of course). My personal goal is always to keep readers confident about where they currently are and what’s currently happening, but uncertain (and curious) about what’s around the corner.
That’s how I generally think about narrative anchors in my own work. It’s basically a balancing act: pursuing your goals for your story, but also removing uncertainty whenever it doesn’t suit your purposes.
How do you like to find that balance?
I’d love to hear.
i’d never really thought about this consciously, but i definitely do this. when i start on page one, my question is always: what are we waiting for?
my biggest frustration as a reader is embarking on a story with nothing to wait for. i’m hooked by a story that has a real question right from the beginning. lots of genres have questions built in (whodunit? are they going to fall in love?), and a really good story is going to have me asking more than one.
so when i write, that’s the question. what are we waiting for? (english teachers might say: why do we care?)
Any advice on writing someone who's got a crush? I don't want to make it sound too "omg I think they're perfect" every other sentence.
Writing a character with a crush...
When you’re writing a character with a crush, tension is created through action and reaction. Every time your character acts, hesitates, speaks their mind, holds their tongue, makes a move, get’s discouraged, etc. builds the tension and encourages the reader to become invested. Crushes in storytelling should be shown through the character’s actions and the world’s reactions, not through dialogue or narration.
Show the reader the character taking 20 minutes to build up the courage to walk up to their locker, where their crush has one right next to theirs because they’re worried they’ll blurt out the wrong thing if the other person shows up. Don’t just tell the reader that the character feels nervous around them or gets butterflies. Show the butterflies threatening to erupt as their crush sits at the only available seat left in homeroom, which happens to be next to them.
Types of Romantic Tension
Tips On Writing Skinny Love
Guide To Writing Friends To Lovers
Guide To Writing Enemies To Lovers
Resources For Writing YA Fiction/Romance
Guide To Writing Will-They-Won’t-They
Rivalry vs. Abuse
Guide To Writing Forbidden Love
20 Mistakes To Avoid in YA/Romance
Best Friends To Lovers Resources
How to develop an Enemies-To-Lovers story
Prompts
Skinny Love Writing Prompts
Study Date Prompts
Best Friends-To-Lovers Prompts
Enemies-To-Lovers Prompts
Tol & Smol Couple Prompts
Romantic Prompts
Soulmates Alternate Universe Prompts
General Romance Tips
Resources For Romance Writers
Creating A Love Interest For An Introvert
Writing Opposites Who Attract
Describing Heartbreak
Balancing Fluff and Conflict
Writing Great Fanfiction
How To Write The Perfect Kiss
On Romantic Subplots
–
Masterlist | WIP Blog
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How to write a character-driven plot
The Character-Driven Plot Wheel
1. Emotions drive actions.
Make your hero act on their deepfelt emotions. This not only adds meaning to their actions, but also helps communicate to readers your hero’s core emotional struggle.
2. Actions trigger consequences.
When your hero acts, give their actions consequences that affect the plot, themselves, and/or the surrounding characters. For example, driven by curiosity, maybe your hero opens Pandora’s box; maybe they act recklessly and someone dies; or maybe they stand up for what they believe in, but at great personal cost. Consequences raise the stakes and empower your hero with agency.
3. Consequences compel change.
Use the consequences of your hero’s actions to create a crucible of growth — challenges and situations that force them to take the next step on their character journey. That step may be forward, or backward, and it may be large or small; but something inside them changes.
4. Change influences emotions.
When a character goes through a change, even a small one, allow it to affect them emotionally. Maybe they feel increasingly frustrated or guilty. Maybe they’re afraid, having just taken another step closer to abandoning their old way of seeing the world. Or maybe they finally feel peace.
Regardless of the form it takes, remember to reflect your hero’s change in their emotions. Then let their emotions drive action, to trigger consequences, which will compel further change.
Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
And there you have it! That’s how you write a character-driven plot.
So what do you say?
Give the wheel a spin.
— — —
Your stories are worth telling. For tips on how to craft meaning, build character-driven plots, and grow as a writer, follow my blog.
Google like a boss!
This is relevant to librarian-ing.
This would make such an excellent hand out for students.
Wheee I use these! They make Google a much more effective search tool.
Thank you! Ppl don’t know these things when I tell them they don’t know how to use a computer
Writing a Blind or Visually Impaired Character
A Multi-Step Guide Written by a Visually Impaired Writer and Blogger
I’m hoping this blog will over time develop its own following, and when it does people will inevitably see my bio and notice what I included: I’m visually impaired.
Yes, a visually impaired writer, and I’ve written with two blind characters before so I have some practice in the field.
So, inevitably, someone is going to ask how to write a blind character.
Or, at least, I hope you’ll ask someone who’s actually blind or visually impaired about writing a blind character before you get too involved with your new WIP.
I started writing this guide two hours ago and it’s gotten away from me. It make it a more manageable read, I’m going to separate it into X many parts, and each part will be linked.
Part One: Crafting the Blind Character
https://mimzy-writing-online.tumblr.com/post/185123396964/writing-a-blind-or-visually-impaired-character
Part Two: Writing the Blind Character, including narrative choice, visual description, verbal description, social interaction
https://mimzy-writing-online.tumblr.com/post/185125198184/writing-blind-or-visually-impaired-characters
Part Three: Tropes and Cliches to Avoid
https://mimzy-writing-online.tumblr.com/post/185124340794/writing-blind-and-visually-impaired-characters
-New- Part Four: Canes, Guide Dogs, and O&M
https://mimzy-writing-online.tumblr.com/post/626905503992348672/writing-a-blindvisually-impaired-character
Part Five: Small Aspects of being Blind You Never Thought Of
https://mimzy-writing-online.tumblr.com/post/185134862519/writing-a-blind-of-visually-impaired-character
Part Six: Should You Cure Your Character’s Blindness? (Short Answer: No)
https://mimzy-writing-online.tumblr.com/post/185125880559/writing-a-blind-or-visually-impaired-character
Writing Blind Characters Falling in Love, an Advice Post:
https://mimzy-writing-online.tumblr.com/post/186276022234/writing-blind-characters-falling-in-love-an
Writing Blind Jokes (Should You Do It?)
https://mimzy-writing-online.tumblr.com/post/187906205649/writing-a-blindvisually-impaired-character-blind
A small essay addressing the frequently asked question on giving your blind character a superpower to help them “see.”
https://mimzy-writing-online.tumblr.com/post/187913512454/blind-characters-and-superpowers
Mourning My Vision, it’s More than Depression. A small personal essay addressing the nuances of the mourning period you experience with a new disability. The mourning period is mentioned in other guides, but this is more detailed.
https://mimzy-writing-online.tumblr.com/post/188649694569/mourning-my-vision-its-more-than-depression
All parts will be tagged #blindcharacter in my blog, and I will add links to every post as I finish each part. Follow my blog for more writing advice.
Cheat Sheets for Writing Body Language
We are always told to use body language in our writing. Sometimes, it’s easier said than written. I decided to create these cheat sheets to help you show a character’s state of mind. Obviously, a character may exhibit a number of these behaviours. For example, he may be shocked and angry, or shocked and happy. Use these combinations as needed.
by Amanda Patterson
@prplprincez
I love you so much @ancientfinnishgoddess thank you
The drama teacher taught us body language and i kinda like it. It’s useful.
Story questions to ask yourself:
It's fine to write a story and not question its construction until after the first draft, but expect that you will be doing this at one point or another.
Story questions is something a writer goes through when work shopping their story. It gives them the ability to make sure all logic and reasoning are in place, and makes them think on a deeper scale about their work.
It doesn't matter how serious or chill you are as a writer. If you desire to improve, feedback is essential, and sometimes the best person to converse to first is yourself.
These questions you ask yourself can be simple or complex - it just depends on how far you want to take it.
Here are some questions to think about:
What's the story truly about?
Where do I want this story to go?
What parts need elaborating?
Do my character's motivations make sense?
Am I forcing a romance to happen?
Is this a story I would want to read? Why/why not? (if why not, then this requires immediate attention)
What's the story's weakness and strengths?
What scenes can I improve on?
Does the plot match the characters' journey?
If I rewrote this story again, what can I improve on/remove/add/change?
If I killed x character, will it affect the story?
Is my main character likable?
Do I know where it ends?
Does it fit with my chosen genre?
If the story is cliche, what can I do to change it?
How many days/weeks/months/years does this story go for?
Is everything happening too quickly or not fast enough?
Is this a filler chapter/scene? Will it mean anything later?
How does *magic* work? Are there any consequences for using *magic*? Why/why not? (if why not, then this requires attention)
Could I write this story in a different POV?
Ask yourself "why" things happen in your story, then answer them. If you struggle to answer, you might've found yourself a plot hole.
What could I improve on (as a writer)?
Ask yourself these and more.
Sometimes the end result will craft a different story, but don't freak out! From personal experience, it's the story that comes after that I find is the better one. Don't stop your story from growing. Who knows, its difference could be what you've been looking for.
When to research:
Depending on the type of writer you are, research can either encourage your writing or delay it. Honestly speaking, most of the time, I'm the latter.
But I found a technique that does me justice, and now I'm writing waaaay more than researching.
Finding the perfect amount of research time comes with the following techniques:
Self-discipline
Time management
Self-guidance
While it's okay to not have all of these under your belt, it's important to know the limits as you don't want to overdo or understate it.
Here's the easy and effective method I use to research:
Map out your story from beginning to end. Do not concern yourself over little details unless they're important.
In the sections you don't have the answers to, insert brackets and note "more info here. ie (more info here). This not only allows you to move on, but it also tells you were your research target is at.
Once you've outlined your story, begin the writing process. You'll find here that the world building needs details that you do not have. That's fine! Simply bracket and lable, then move on. Do this until the first draft is complete.
Go back and research the areas that need your attention. Full in the blanks.
If you're not a planner, that's fine. Write your story, and leave the parts where you need to go back and research. Remember to (more info here). Go back once your first draft is done and fill in the blanks.
Doing this method teaches you the techniques that have been mentioned:
Self-discipline: your focus is to write, and writing you did. Instead of worrying about details, you spent time working on putting your story ideas together. The behaviour you present to yourself will become an instinctive pattern where you learn to refrain getting worked up.
Time management: instead of wasting your precious time researching on things you don't necessarily believe are that important/and or getting stuck in the abyss, you're completing your word goals and making time doing it
Self-guidance: you're guiding your way in knowing the "wrongs" and "rights" of researching. It's teaching you to value the writing above the research, and what part of the research your energy and time need to focus on. You're resolving the problem in cautious steps.
Research should not take up majority of your time - unless you're writing about a topic you know nothing about but interested in.
If that's the case, repeat the following steps but adjust the focus. Time management is the essential part in this. Work on how long you want to research, what you want to research and stick to it! If you've run out of time, it doesn't matter. Hopefully by this stage you know enough to start writing. Once the writing is done, go back and fill in the blanks.
Yes, research is important, but your story is more. Because let's be honest; some of the things you research won't show up in the final edits.
3 easy ways to write characters:
1. Write about people you already know
Whether you have a crazy set of friends, a sibling with a weird obsession, or know someone who always has a catch-phrase, you're already half way there! Simply write these traits of the people that you know down - excluding anything irrelevant, because there's one thing writing a character with ideas from someone, it's another to actually write about them - and watch your characters come to life (in a basic sense). Remember, characters change and evolve over time. If you are using this step, understand that this is not the final draft. You're giving some 3D flavour to your characters.
2. Think about what type of characters you want, then research about their attributes.
Writing a bad boy? Google what makes a bad boy. Writing about a bad boy with a good heart? Google what makes someone a good person. What about a bad boy with a good heart who also has a mysterious past? Research about personality traits that make up 'mysterious'. The more you find specific details/trends/moods about your character, the more they stand out rather than blend in with all your other characters.
3. Build your characters based on the story you're writing / wing it!
Now, this one isn't always easy to do, and it certainly helps to know what kind of story you're wanting to create. Personally, it's a challenging one, but it allows me to see what characters the story will evebtually come up with. Without even realising it, too. This is the type of planning where you don't necessarily research. They come to you over time and evolve through patience and understanding of your work. Characters motivate the story, it's true. But the story also sways the characters into doing or becoming things you nor they won't expect them to do.
Twitter thread
^Photographer: @lillianliuphotography Model: @theresafractale Make-up: @ladyfreakshow Hair: @iamdhair_stylist Designer: @lindafriesen.couture
^Photographer: @topheroriel Model: @micaburton
^Photographer: @agnieszka_lorek Model: @theresafractale Designer: @lorysunartistry
^Photographer: @maria_lipina Model: @normila17
^Photographer: @defotograafsanne Model: @modelsensi Make-up and costume: @candymakeupartist
^Photographer: @anniebertramphoto Model: @theresafractale Dress: @maria.heller.designs Earrings: @vespermoth Crown: @nomenjewelry
^Photographer: @thewitchinghourphotography Model: @tee.pimentel
^Photographer: @anniebertramphoto Model: @theresafractale Dress: @feuillemorte.costumery Halo: @mywitchery Earrings: @vespermoth
^Photographer: @simplysavannahart Model: @shiennegh Designer: @itisknown
^Photographer: @anniebertramphoto Model: @theresafractale Korset: @royalblack_couture Make-up: @isabellakiefer_makeupandhair
Keep reading
These images just really bring home the idea that this is a manner in which woc, especially black women, are almost never depicted in fantasy narratives. They’re rarely shown as magical, ethereal, and or spiritual looking beings. The province of such fairy tale imagery is almost entirely white, and the paler they are, the more lauded!
Resources For Writing Dystopian/Apocalypse Stories
Ko-Fi || Masterlist || Work In Progress || Request
Dystopian Resources
Characteristics Of A Dystopia
7 Tips To Writing Dystopian Fiction
380 Best Dystopian Novels Of All Time
How To Build A Dystopian World
Dystopian Cliches To Avoid
Ultimate Guide To Writing Dystopian Literature
Realistic Political Strife
Political Corruption
Dystopian or Not Dystopian?
The 10 Most Important Dystopian Books and Films of All Time
How To Create A Dystopia
The future of energy
Waste management in SF
Enclosed ecosystems and life support
Near-future scenarios for us & our planet
Dystopian Prompt Generator
Totalitarianism
Propaganda
Apocalypse Resources
Writing Apocalyptic Stories
A Study In Physical Injuries
GunHoo
Snipercountry.com
Tips for writing blood loss
The Writer’s Forensics Blog
Poisonous Herbs and Plants
Apocalypse World
Cliches To Avoid
Mass Depopulation Conspiracy Theory
How Long Would Infrastructure Last?
What Does Nuclear Radiation Do To Human Bodies?
How Does Nuclear Radiation Do Its Damage?
What Would Happen If Humans Just Disappeared?
Preindustrial Society
Nuclear radiation for writers
Climate change and cli-fi
Mutation myths in fiction
Plagues in science fiction and fantasy
Rogue viruses in science fiction
Apocalypse Generator
World Building
A Politics Of Worldbuilding
Government Worldbuilding
The Five foundations of Worldbuilding
Dystopian World Building Worksheet
Apocalypse Hypotheticals
Climatology
Planetary Geography
Water Geography
Rational Wiki
BioMedNet
Phys
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Writing with multiple POVs
Alright guys, it’s time I got in here with my own personal opinions and takes on writing, and first up: multiple POVs
I’ve seen a lot of posts discussing POVs and honestly, it kind of surprised me how so many of them have said that one POV is enough, two or three if you really must for plot purpose, but more than that is too many.
Bullshit
Of course, like all things in writing, multiple POVs can be majorly fucked up, or be an amazing asset to a story. So…. As someone who specializes in writing stories with a lot of POVs, here are my personal tips for making it work
1. Know your characters
First and foremost, know your characters before you begin writing. Know them inside and out. Know their darkest fear, their worst flaw, their motivations, their favorite food, if they’d rob a bank on a dare, everything. This is pretty standard for all writing, but especially in multiple POVs.
Here’s why:
If you write single POVs (or even just two or three), you might be able to get away with beginning your story without having your character 100% fleshed out. But if you do this in multiple POV writing, all your characters will sound and act exactly the same by the end of it.
You probably won’t even notice it’s happening at first, until you reach a pivotal scene (especially one dealing with characters’ emotional responses) and you find that they all respond the same way. This happened to me when I first began writing, but it can be easily avoided if you just make sure you know your characters better than you know yourself before you begin writing.
2. Character Diversity
This goes hand in hand with knowing your characters. I don’t want to read a POV and then supposedly go to a completely different one, but the second character has the same exact motivations, personality, and thought processes as the first character. If one character is a brash, outspoken, spunky servant girl, make a timid, thoughtful princess who just wants out of the spotlight, and then her best friend, the stable boy who’s a secret magic user and uses his abilities for practical jokes and just enjoys his life, etc. Make them different! It’s incredibly boring to read the exact same thing, over and over again.
Of course, all your characters will probably have at least some similarities I mean, if not, why would they even be together? This is okay, and even good for interactions between them, just make sure that their similarities are in balance with their differences and that one doesn’t overshadow the other.
3. Who is narrating what and when?
From the beginning, know who is going to narrate what and when. Because remember, even if your characters are always together, they’re all going to narrate the same scene in a different way. So… before you begin a scene, think about which character is going to put the best spin on it and be the most logical to narrate it. Examples: If you are going to write an intense battle scene, you will most likely want a character narrating from the thick of battle, and one who knows battle well. You don’t want the princess who is sitting in the palace, simply waiting on news from the battlefield to narrate the entire window of time that the battle is taking place in. Not to say she can’t narrate at all during the battle, just not all of it.
Also, you will want to know exactly how much of your WIP your characters are each narrating. Personally, I divide it up evenly. For my Legends series, each of the books is thirty-two chapters, and each of my eight narrators narrates four chapters. But this doesn’t have to be the case. You may have one character who narrates half the novel, while the other five characters only narrate a fifth. This, of course, is fine. Just make sure you have carefully planned out when everyone is going to narrate before you begin.
4. Balancing narrating MCs with MCs that don’t have a narrating role
This one can be kind of difficult. If you have multiple POVs, it may start to feel like the only way a character can be a main character is if they narrate as well. They feel overshadowed by narrating characters.
Honestly, the only way to avoid this is to make sure they get a ton of page time. Put them in every scene that is pivotal to the plot and make sure they have a strong relationship with at least one of the narrators. If you do this, there’s really no way they could be overshadowed. And if it just feels awkward putting them in that many scenes or building relationships between them and the narrators, then they’re probably not meant to be a main character anyways.
5. Read books with multiple POVs
Yeah, yeah, most stereotypical writing advice ever. But really, this is extremely helpful. You can experience many different dynamics between characters and see various different techniques with multiple POVs. Not only that, but it’s proof that you can make it work if you do things right and that multiple POVs aren’t automatically a writing taboo.
Some examples (unfortunately, I almost exclusively read/write fantasy and sci/fi so that’s pretty much all I have to offer):
Six of Crows duology (Leigh Bardugo), Game of Thrones (George R. R. Martin), The Lunar Chronicles (Marrissa Meyer), Heroes of Olympus series (Rick Riordan), Strange the Dreamer (Laini Taylor), Throne of Glass series (Sarah J. Maas)
6. Alright, really, though. How many POVs is too many POVs?
I mean, it has to be brought up, because logically and realistically, there is a point where there are too many POVs. For me, personally, the limit is ten (especially if the characters all narrate equally, not if there’s a random side character that narrates one scene for plot purposes). The most narrators I have for one series is nine, my average is six, and my lowest is three. Of course, if you want to go above ten, by all means go for it. Just remember, it’s going to be difficult for you to keep track of everything. Not only that, but you may begin to shrink the audience interested in your books, because it can be difficult for a reader to keep up with that many POVs and complexity. It will become very niche (not that this is a bad thing, but if your goal is to have a large audience, I’m just saying that’s probably not the best idea you could have). So yes, in general, I would limit yourself to ten POVs.
Of course, like all writing advice, this is completely optional and if it doesn’t sound right to you, ignore it and do whatever the fuck you want. But I feel these are some fairly general guidelines for writing with multiple POVs.
I’ve found some AMAZING resources for worldbuilding your fantasy novel that I just had to share with you guys. As always I want to note that I truly value and believe in high-quality resources that are actionable and deliver actual results.
